30660 - Russian Literature 2 (2nd cycle)

Learning outcomes

Acquiring deeper knowledge of modern and contemporary Russian literature. Developingcritical approaches to the literary text.

Course contents

Contemporary Russian Women Writers at the beginning of the 21st century

This Academic year the course has been remodelled according to the targets of the Excellency Project of the Department and in particular the key-words /conepts "diversity and inclusion". During the lessons the active involvement of students into the teaching and learning process in class will be encouraged.

The objectives of the course are:

Presenting the social and cultural changes that lead to the forming of a new generation of women writers in the Russian Federation. In particular this year the work of the Russian women poets of the twentieth century will be studied. For example, Z. Gippius, E. Guro Anna Akhmatova, Marina Tsvetaeva, Ekaterina Bakunina, Olga Berggolts, Bella Akhmadulina, Elena Shvats, Olga Sedakova.

Introducing to the main tendences of feminine literature in the Russian Federation. Analizyng genres, themes, styles of the literary production of Women Writers in Russia. Comparing with the situation in other countries/cultures. Lessons will be held mainly in Russian on Russian texts.

Lessons are open to GEMMA students, in case they do not know Russian, lessons will be held in English or Italian. GEMMA students are required to contact the professor on choosing this course in order to agree the conditions of their attendance.

Readings/Bibliography

Provisional list of the literary works to be analyzed (it is advisable to read as many texts as possible /in any language and edition/ in order to be able to follow the lectures):

C. Kelly, A History of Russian Women's Writing 1820-1992, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1994.

C. Kelly (ed.), An Anthology of Russian Women's Writing, 1777-1992, Oxford, Oxford UP, 1994.

J. Presto, Women in Russian Symbolism: Beyond the Algebra of Love, in A History of Women's Writing in Russia, ed. by A.M. Barker, J.M. Gheith, Cambridge, CUP, 2002, pp. 134-153.

K. Hodgson, Women and gender in post-symbolist poetry and the Stalinist Era, in A History of Women's Writing in Russia, ed. by A.M. Barker, J.M. Gheith, Cambridge, CUP, 2002, pp. 207-224.

S. Sandler, Women's poetry since the sixtieth, in A History of Women's Writing in Russia, ed. by A.M. Barker, J.M. Gheith, Cambridge, CUP, 2002, pp. 264-277.

G.S. Smith, Russian Poetry since 1945, in The Routledge Companion to Russian Literature, edited by N. Cornwell, London, Routledge, 2001, pp. 197-209.

C. De Michelis, La letteratura al femminile. Z. Gippius, in Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, a cura di M. Colucci e R. Picchio, Torino, UTET, 1997, vol. 2, pp. 81-82.

M. Colucci, La poesia del ventennio postrivoluzionario: Achmatova, in Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, a cura di M. Colucci e R. Picchio, Torino, UTET, 1997, vol. 2, pp.328-337.

D. Bethea, La letteratura dell'emigrazione: Cvetaeva, in Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, a cura di M. Colucci e R. Picchio, Torino, UTET, 1997, vol. 2, pp. 408-411, 418-424.

S. Garzonio, La metrica russa, in Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, a cura di M. Colucci e R. Picchio, Torino, UTET, 1997, vol. 2, pp. 617-634.

G. Nivat, Il simbolismo russo, in Storia della letteratura russa del Novecento, a cura di E. Etkind, G. Nivat, V. Strada, Torino, Einaudi, 1989, vol. I, pp. 75-110.

E. Etkind, La crisi del simbolismo e l'acmeismo,in Storia della letteratura russa del Novecento, a cura di E. Etkind, G. Nivat, V. Strada, Torino, Einaudi, 1989, vol. I, pp. 547-582.

J-C. Lanne, Il futurismo russo, in Storia della letteratura russa del Novecento, a cura di E. Etkind, G. Nivat, V. Strada, Torino, Einaudi, 1989, vol. I, pp. 627-664.

N.A. Nilsson, Elena Guro (1877-1913), in Storia della letteratura russa del Novecento, a cura di E. Etkind, G. Nivat, V. Strada, Torino, Einaudi, 1989, vol. I, pp. 685-690.

V. Strada, La rivoluzione e la letteratura, in Storia della letteratura russa del Novecento, a cura di E. Etkind, G. Nivat, V. Strada, Torino, Einaudi, 1989, vol. II, pp. 5-34.

M. Raeff, La cultura russa dell'emigrazione, in Storia della letteratura russa del Novecento, a cura di E. Etkind, G. Nivat, V. Strada, Torino, Einaudi, 1989, vol. II, pp. 63-100.

L. Losev, Marina Cvetaeva, in Storia della letteratura russa del Novecento, a cura di E. Etkind, G. Nivat, V. Strada, Torino, Einaudi, 1989, vol. II, pp. 135-162.

E. Etkind, Anna Achmatova, in Storia della letteratura russa del Novecento, a cura di E. Etkind, G. Nivat, V. Strada, Torino, Einaudi, 1989, vol. III, pp. 535-553.

A. Najman, La poetica di Anna Achmatova, in Storia della letteratura russa del Novecento, a cura di E. Etkind, G. Nivat, V. Strada, Torino, Einaudi, 1989, vol. III, pp.553-571.

Teaching methods

Lectures, reading and analysis of texts, slides, film clips and viewing relevant internet sites, reports by the students. Discussion and seminars in class.

Teaching methods

Lectures, reading and analysis of texts, slides, film clips and viewing relevant internet sites, reports by the students. Group presentations, discussion and seminars in class.
Useful teaching materials will be uploaded online.

Assessment methods

During the course students will be encouraged to participate with group reports and presentations on topics related to the course. Their active participation will be considered integral part (1/3) of their final test if they take the exam within the two following terms.

Students will be required to write an essay (it can be in English, Italian orRussian) on a topic connected with the course to be discussed during the exam. The topic must be agreed with the Professor and the essay must be sent 10 days before the exam. Max dimensions: 4000 words or 25000 characters (spaces notes included,  bibliography not included).

The test consists in an oral interview (held also in Russian or English) which has the aim of evaluating the students' knowledge of the contents of the programme and their critical and methodological abilities in discussing the topics and texts presented during the course. The presentation and the essay will also be discussed during the oral interview. The student must demonstrate appropriate knowledge of  the contents and the bibliography of the course programme.

Those students who are able to demonstrate a wide and systematic understanding of the issues covered during the lessons, are able to use these critically and who master the field-specific language of the discipline will be given a mark of excellence.
Those students who demonstrate a mnemonic knowledge of the subject with a more superficial analytical ability and ability to synthesize, a correct command of the language but not always appropriate, will be given a ‘fair' mark.
A superficial knowledge and understanding of the material, a scarce analytical and expressive ability that is not always appropriate will be rewarded with a pass mark or just above a pass mark.
Students who demonstrate gaps in their knowledge of the subject matter, inappropriate language use, lack of familiarity with the literature in the programme bibliography will not be given a pass mark.Students will be required to to write an essay (possibly in Russian) on a topic connected with the course to be discussed during the exam. 

NB. GEMMA and Erasmus students are required to write an essay in English or Italian on a topic to be agreed with the Professor and to be sent at least 10 days before the exam.

 

Teaching tools

Lectures, showing audio-visual materials, surfing the internet for relevant sites, analysis of literary texts. Presentations and papers of the students on topics suggested by the Professor.

Office hours

See the website of Gabriella Elina Imposti